Ozempic Phenomenon: Challenges for the Body Positivity Movement
Ozempic Phenomenon: Challenges for the Body Positivity Movement
The growing popularity of Ozempic, a weight-loss drug, has exposed the fragility of the body positivity movement, challenging its core principles and raising questions about the pursuit of thinness.
The Story:
The recent popularity of Ozempic, a medication primarily used to manage type 2 diabetes, has sparked a significant shift in the way we perceive and approach weight and body image. This class of drugs, known as GLP-1 receptor agonists, have demonstrated remarkable potential in not only regulating blood sugar levels but also facilitating substantial weight loss. Ozempic, and its newer counterpart Wegovy, work by mimicking a natural hormone called glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1). This hormone plays a crucial role in stimulating insulin production and suppressing the release of glucagon, which raises blood sugar. Importantly, GLP-1 also travels to the brain, triggering the sensation of fullness. By effectively injecting this sense of satiety, the drugs slow the rate at which food empties from the stomach, leading to a decreased desire to overeat.
"All I can say is that it is no wonder that skinny people think heavy people have no willpower. Their brains actually do tell them to stop eating. I had no idea." — Member, Online group Lose the Fat
The ideal female body of the past decade was juicy, uncanny, and technologically mediated, with a sculpted waist, enormous ass, and high-cut bikini. However, this ideal is now shifting, as celebrities like the Kardashians are leaning into a skinnier, whiter ideal, likely due to the use of Ozempic, a weight-loss injection. This change in body image ideals reflects the growing popularity and influence of these weight-loss treatments.
The emergence of Ozempic and its growing popularity have exposed cracks within the body positivity movement, which has made significant strides in recent years. The movement, originally rooted in the efforts of fat Black women in the 1960s, aimed to challenge the societal marginalization and discrimination faced by individuals of larger body sizes. However, the mainstream commodification of body positivity has led to a dilution of its core principles. The focus has shifted from dismantling systemic oppression to an emphasis on individual self-love, often in a manner that undermines the movement's radical origins. This shift has created an environment where the pursuit of thinness, facilitated by Ozempic, can be justified under the guise of self-care and self-improvement. As one observer noted, "Anything can be done in the name of self-love, and the selves that society loves have the power to cause harm without reproach." The willingness to create scarcity of a potentially life-saving medication in the pursuit of vanity underscores the ableist and fatphobic undercurrents that persist, even within the body positivity movement.
The View:
The Ozempic era has exposed the fragility of the body positivity movement, revealing the cracks in its foundation. The widespread embrace of these weight-loss drugs, particularly among high-profile individuals, threatens to undermine the hard-won progress made in challenging societal biases against larger bodies. The mainstream commodification of body positivity has shifted the discourse away from its radical origins, which sought to dismantle the systemic oppression faced by marginalized individuals.
The arrival of Ozempic seems to have prompted a renewed fixation on being thin, rather than a public consideration of what it means to be fat. The focus has become centered on individualized self-love, a notion that can be easily co-opted to justify harmful practices in the pursuit of societal ideals of thinness. This shift in the discourse has moved away from the movement's initial goal of challenging the systematic oppression faced by individuals of larger body sizes.
Ultimately, the Ozempic phenomenon demands a reexamination of the body positivity movement, calling for a return to its radical roots and a renewed commitment to dismantling the systemic oppression faced by individuals of all body sizes. Only through this collective effort can the movement reclaim its transformative potential and truly advocate for the liberation of marginalized bodies.
TLDR:
Ozempic, a medication primarily used for type 2 diabetes, has gained widespread popularity for its weight loss benefits.
The use of Ozempic, particularly among celebrities, has sparked a significant shift in the perception of weight and body image.
The mainstream commodification of the body positivity movement has led to a dilution of its core principles, creating an environment where the pursuit of thinness can be justified under the guise of self-care.
The Ozempic phenomenon demands a reexamination of the body positivity movement, calling for a return to its radical roots and a renewed commitment to dismantling the systemic oppression faced by individuals of all body sizes.
Ultimately, the Ozempic debate highlights the fragility of the body positivity movement and the need for a comprehensive approach to addressing societal biases and promoting the liberation of marginalized bodies.
Insights From:
Ozempic Exposed the Cracks in the Body Positivity Movement - TIME
Will Ozempic Change How We Think About Being Fat and Being Thin? - The New Yorker